U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,091 shows a flat top article carrying conveyor chain which is of molded construction. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,262,550 and 3,279,586 show similar chain which are particularly suited to operation in a straight or a curved path. U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,113 shows a similar conveyor chain of another type which comprises a side-flexing roller chain and a series of top plates of molded plastic having downward legs which fit over the extended pins of the pin links of the chain and form part of such links. The undersides of the plates of all such chain slide on the spaced supporting rails and the links carried by the top plates fit between the rails. At locations where the conveyor has a curved path, the sides of the links slide on the outer face of the inner support rail.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,998,397, 3,287,288, 3,453,208, and 3,455,864 describe various types of resin materials with low friction particles dispersed therein for use as bearings. However, none of these patents suggest the use of such bearing material to comprise the molded links of an article-carrying conveyor chain.